1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery pack loaded in an electronic device, such as a digital still camera, a digital video camera, or a portable information processing apparatus, and to a wiring substrate used in the battery pack.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some of battery packs loaded in various electronic devices, such as digital still cameras, digital video cameras, and portable information processing apparatuses, have external shapes symmetric with respect to the horizontal and vertical axes and include battery cells (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-166644). It can be difficult for battery packs having external shapes that are not symmetric with respect to the horizontal and vertical axes to be removed from battery mounting units if users load the battery packs inside out in the battery mounting units of the electronic devices whereas the battery packs having external shapes symmetric with respect to the horizontal and vertical axes can be easily removed from the battery mounting units even if users load the battery pack inside out in the battery mounting units of the electronic devices. However, the battery packs having external shapes symmetric with respect to the horizontal and vertical axes can be easily loaded in the battery mounting units as in the case where the battery packs are correctly loaded in the battery mounting units even when the users attempt to load the battery packs inside out in the battery mounting units of the electronic devices.
Some battery packs are provided with communication terminals, in addition to positive terminals and negative terminals. Such battery packs includes authentication chips for authentication between the battery packs and the electronic devices in which the battery packs are loaded and communicate with the electronic devices for the authentication through the communication terminals.
However, if the battery packs of the above type are loaded in the battery mounting units inside out, the positive terminals of the battery packs are possibly connected to the communication contacts of the battery mounting units, which should be electrically connected to the communication terminals of the battery packs, to apply abnormal voltage including battery voltage to the electronic devices, thus causing failure of the electronic devices. In addition, if the battery packs are loaded inside out in the battery mounting units of the electronic devices or in charging devices, for example, during the charging of the battery packs and the positive contacts of the battery mounting units or the charging devices are connected to the communication terminals of the battery packs to apply abnormal voltage including charge voltage to the electronic devices, the authentication chips possibly fail.
Furthermore, if conductive members are erroneously contact with parts between the positive terminals and control terminals of the battery packs, the devices connected to the control terminals possibly fail.